Extraction of gallic acid from chromolaena sp. Using ultrasound-assisted extraction

What if a common weed could hide a treasure of medicinal compounds? Scientists just unlocked it with sound waves.

Chromolaena sp. is more than just a stubborn weed—it's a chemical goldmine. Packed with alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, and tannins, this plant has long caught the eye of traditional medicine. But extracting its precious compounds, like gallic acid, used to be slow and wasteful.

Enter ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE)—a green, efficient technique that uses sound waves to break plant cells open. In this study, researchers tested two key parameters: sonication time and duty cycle. They found that 80 minutes of sonication yielded 3.006 mg/mL of gallic acid, while a 90% duty cycle pushed the yield even higher to 3.764 mg/mL.

The proof was in the color: a dark-green solution confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds. FT-IR analysis further revealed O-H and alkene groups, cementing the extraction's success. The takeaway? UAE is not just effective—it's a faster, greener path to producing herbal medicines from natural resources.

Key Points

• UAE extracts gallic acid from Chromolaena sp. effectively.
• Best yield: 3.764 mg/mL at 90% duty cycle.
• 80-minute sonication gives 3.006 mg/mL yield.